WMC Resources' Kalgoorlie Nickel Smelter, located 12 kilometres south of Kalgoorlie in Western Australia, has operated since 1972. The plant's hot metals section - containing a flash furnace and three converters - is supported by oxygen, acid and effluent plants. Two steam turbines use waste heat from the furnace to generate electricity. During 2002, we incorporated management of WMC's Kambalda Nickel Concentrator, located 55 kilometres south of Kalgoorlie, into the smelter's management team and system.

The smelter receives nickel-in-concentrate from the Kambalda concentrator and from WMC's northern nickel operations at Leinster and Mount Keith. During 2003, our 304 employees and 132 contractors at the smelter and concentrator produced 97,780 tonnes of nickel-in-matte and 717,359 tonnes of nickel-in-concentrate. The smelter also produces sulphuric acid and gypsum as by-products.

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